Chef Elizabeth on the Farm

The colors are changing here on the farm and it is time for coffee cakes and conversations. This is a cake that I make all the time when I am looking for a cheap and quick cake for unexpected company. As a lover of cranberries, I always have then in my freezer. Feel free to use whichever fruit is in season, or make with frozen fruit.

I am pleased to announce that I have local raw honey for sale at Wynyates Farmhouse Bakery.

I wanted to share this special recipe because it is perfect for holiday entertaining. I am lucky enough to get the culinary benefits of having an Austrian-German sharing my kitchen; this is a recipe that he developed and perfected over time. I love to bake delicious goods over the course of the few days when company is around. This cake is reminiscent of upside-down cake, but it is less work. I love warm fruit cakes that are steaming from the heat of the oven, and I love the way the whipped cream melts all over the cake. We also pour local maple syrup over the cake from time to time. I always find a way to sneak that liquid gold into my food!

During the holidays we all love a quick, easy, and delicious breakfast cake that is full of the taste of the season. Your kitchen will be filled the scent of sugar, cinnamon, and apples. This is a family favourite and it serves 12, so it is perfect for a large group. This cake is delicious at room temperature, and it warms up perfectly the next day.

Feel free to substitute the fruit if you like — around the holidays try pineapple or pears. Add a few maraschino cherries for additional color.

Instructions:

1. In a large (10 or 12 inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast the nuts and then remove them from the skillet.

2. If you are not using buttermilk: Combine milk with lemon juice in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to “sour”.

3. Cook the fruit over medium heat — place the butter in the pan and let it melt, then add the sugar, and then the apples, cinnamon, and the lemon juice. Let the apples soften for about 5 minutes. Remove the cooked apple mixture from the pan and set aside.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

5. To make the batter, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg, vanilla, and butter into buttermilk or “soured” milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.

6. Wipe the skillet clean, then and add 3 tablespoons butter and let it melt. (This step prevents the apples from sticking.) Add the apples, sprinkle with the toasted nuts, and then add the batter.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes. The top will be golden-brown, and a cake tester will come out clean.

8. Let the cake cool for about 2-3 minutes in the pan and then invert the cake onto a round serving platter. Dust with icing sugar.

Want to rediscover what made grandma’s house the fun place we all remember? Capper’s Farmer — the newly restored publication from the rural know-how experts at Grit.com — updates the tried-and-true methods your grandparents used for cooking, crafting, gardening and so much more. Subscribe today and discover the joys of homemade living and homesteading insight — with a dash of modern living — that makes up the new Capper’s Farmer.

Save Even More Money with our automatic renewal savings plan!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $6 and get 4 issues of Capper's Farmer for only $16.95 (USA only).

Or, Bill Me Later and I'll pay just $22.95 for a one year subscription!